The "Willy Wonka Experience" disaster has struck again—but now among the BookTok community.
BookToker and indie author Grace Willows, who has since set her TikTok profile to private, told the BookTok community that she was organizing a literary ball for indie authors, literary vendors, and readers to meet.
The theme played on the concept of a reader living a million lives through books and was called "A Million Lives Book Festival," but after the so-called event, indie authors have taken to calling it "A Million Lies," and for good reason.
The event took place in Baltimore, Maryland, as part of a weekend for fantasy and romance authors to sign and sell their books. The festival was in the works for over a year and a half, and the star of the weekend was supposed to be a black-tie ball, with formal attire required.
Despite that alleged year and a half of planning, people soon suspected it was thrown together in 45 minutes.
The large convention hall was empty except for a series of long, uncovered tables. The concrete floor was bare. No decorations were hung, save for a single row of fake rose petals that were placed in a row along the length of one table.
Here's one example from indie author Amber Bunch entering the event:
The security guard for the room also felt so bad for the attendees that he ran home and brought his own Bluetooth speaker, meant to be used in the shower, because there was no DJ.
Here's a video of BookToker Brandi catching the speaker on camera, which the BookTok community has since named "Steve" because of the background music "You, Me, and Steve" by Garfunkel and Oates.
Because of the event's quality and turnout, indie authors began to issue apology videos to their readers.
Though the situation was not their fault, indie authors still felt terrible for readers who potentially shelled out money for the $23 entry fee, travel, and hotel to attend the event.
Indie author Kalista Neith found this to be especially unacceptable in today's economy.
But it soon started to dawn on all of the indie authors that there was no way they were going to make their money back.
While readers had to pay to participate, indie authors and vendors also spent thousands of dollars on set up, supplies, travel and lodging.
Because fewer than fifty people were in attendance, and most of them were authors, no one was able to "table," meaning to break even on just the cost of their author signing space.
TikToker @chloyorkcity collected many authors' information so people could show support.
Onlookers who followed online were flabbergasted.
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
@chloyorkcity/TikTok
Due to the backlash, Grace Willows issued what many considered a non-apology.
Willows promised that anyone who requested a refund would receive one, and she was empathetic to anyone who was disappointed.
She then went on to excuse the event, stating that all of the signage, decorations, and swag bags had disappeared and likely been stolen. There was even a separate room next to the ballroom that she had called the "Content Creation Room" that was completely empty, but which she claimed was supposed to be decked out with props for the guests to use.
But indie author Lara Buckheit did a little digging and did not believe Willows' explanation.
Buckheit contacted the convention center directly to ask about Willows' claims the items were stolen, and according to the coordinator, that was almost impossible. It's common practice for the event organizer, who was Willows in this scenario, to contact the convention center to file a report, and the fact that no report had been filed was sketchy, at best.
The utter lack of decorations, signage, music, food, water, as well as the bare concrete floor, which caused issues for attendees with disabilities, showed an obvious lack of preparation or care.
Even an attendance roster showing authors and where their tables were, or a schedule of panels and events, were nowhere to be found.
Willows planned on hosting two more of these events, one in October and one in 2026, but has suspended them for the time being while refunds are being sorted out. Hopefully she will keep to her word about refunds, and if she really does decide to host further events, then she had better be taking notes from this one.
